The invention relates to a method for scanning a plurality of optical measuring reflectors which are each arranged to reflect an optical low divergence scanning beam emitted as a reference, more particularly in the form of a laser beam, at a reflection angle dependent on the position in space of a respective object of interest to an optoelectronic position detector, which supplies electric measurement data signals which correspond to the size of, and when appropriate, the direction of the distance of the point of incidence of the reflected scan beam from a reference point of the position detector, and also to a modified form of this method using measuring reflectors which are in the form of rectangular roof prisms placed so that their hypothenuse plane is generally parallel to the scan beam incident thereon. The invention also relates to apparatus for performing such method.
Measuring instruments using laser optics frequently involve a plurality of measuring reflectors, which may be different, such as mirrors, prisms and the like, which reflect a laser beam directed onto them to read or detect their instantaneous position respectively to a position detector, which supplies signals corresponding to the position of measurement and dependent on the point of incidence of the reflected beam in the detector plane.
In known methods designed for this purpose for each measuring reflector there has been a separate laser beam with a separate beam source and a separate position detector. This led to a complex apparatus and also necessitated a coordination of the individual laser beams and position detectors in relation to each other in order to obtain measurement data derived from the different measuring positions of the measuring reflectors.